37 Sri Lankan Tamils detained

26 September 2011 07:54 am

Kerala Police on Monday detained 37 Sri Lankan Tamils under suspicious circumstances from Kothamangalam in the Ernakulam district.

According to the police, the group consisting of 26 males, seven females and four children was taken into custody by the police based on an intelligence input. The group was staying in a rented house in the area. Police said that the Sri Lankan Tamils landed in Kothamangalam from various refugee camps in Tamil Nadu. "We are verifying the documents in possession of the detained persons. Officials of the Intelligence Bureau have arrived to quiz them," police officials said.

The detention assumes significance in the wake of repeated attempts by Sri Lankan Tamils to use Kerala as a transit point to migrate to countries like Australia and New Zealand.

Kerala Police in the last two years had thwarted at least two attempts by Sri Lankan Tamils to migrate to Australia from Kerala in the past. In the first incident, 38 Sri Lankan Tamils, including five women and as many children, were detained by police on May, 2010 from Kollam. They were brought to Kollam by a travelling agent for taking them to Australia.

In the other incident on June 2011, the Kochi City Police team detained 16 Sri Lankans while trying to illegally migrate to Australia in a boat. Police also seized the boat which was arranged by the Sri Lankan Tamils to travel to Australia. (Source: Times of India)